7 ms·

Another crazy old idea: Businesses that prioritize people over capital.

by BrianOnHN 5y ago

lotsofpulp 5y ago
Or governments take care of people, businesses focus on selling products and services.
- actually_a_dog 5y ago
  Or, maybe.... just maybe... both businesses and governments consider and prioritize the humans in the equation.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - Pxtl 5y ago
    Businesses that don't prioritize winning in the market will be outperformed by businesses that do. Let the government do the job of setting the boundaries on the market so they can do what's best for humans, and let businesses do the job of optimizing for victory within the market. That's where their respective incentives lie, so that's what they do best at. tl:dr; don't hate the player, hate the game.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - actually_a_dog 5y ago
      Ok. That's what your economics textbook thinks. What do you think? Competition is not the only way to get things done. Humans are definitely capable of collective action. You may recall a few weeks ago where hundreds of millions of Americans just said "fuck 2 AM, it's now 1 AM" early one Sunday. How would you harness that?
      - Pxtl 5y ago
        Those millions of Americans followed rules set by the government. That the game. Make the rules do useful things. If you want business with social conscience, legislate it; don't whine for the uncaring hand of the free market to deign to suddenly show empathy.
        actually_a_dog 5y ago
        Hey, here's a thought: why don't we get rid of such dehumanizing institutions and everybody just get along? How about we not commodify every single aspect of human existence, from birth to death? How would you accomplish that?
        lotsofpulp 5y ago
        I do not know how, hence needing a government to enforce rules.
        actually_a_dog 5y ago
        How would you accomplish it using government as a tool? It's clear that most (all?) current governments are wholly inadequate to this task. What are the right rules, and how can government help the situation? What does society look like when you implement those rules and enforcement mechanisms?
jokethrowaway 5y ago
You should read Atlas Shrugged
- tsimionescu 5y ago
  Yes, it's a very funny book once you get past the droning sentences and start seeing the core absurdity of its ideas. The gushing praise it lavishes on the rich has to be read to be believed. As the old joke goes, there are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.

Another crazy old idea: Businesses that prioritize people over capital.

lotsofpulp 5y ago

Or governments take care of people, businesses focus on selling products and services.

actually_a_dog 5y ago
Or, maybe.... just maybe... both businesses and governments consider and prioritize the humans in the equation.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- Pxtl 5y ago
  Businesses that don't prioritize winning in the market will be outperformed by businesses that do. Let the government do the job of setting the boundaries on the market so they can do what's best for humans, and let businesses do the job of optimizing for victory within the market. That's where their respective incentives lie, so that's what they do best at. tl:dr; don't hate the player, hate the game.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - actually_a_dog 5y ago
    Ok. That's what your economics textbook thinks. What do you think? Competition is not the only way to get things done. Humans are definitely capable of collective action. You may recall a few weeks ago where hundreds of millions of Americans just said "fuck 2 AM, it's now 1 AM" early one Sunday. How would you harness that?
    - Pxtl 5y ago
      Those millions of Americans followed rules set by the government. That the game. Make the rules do useful things. If you want business with social conscience, legislate it; don't whine for the uncaring hand of the free market to deign to suddenly show empathy.
      - actually_a_dog 5y ago
        Hey, here's a thought: why don't we get rid of such dehumanizing institutions and everybody just get along? How about we not commodify every single aspect of human existence, from birth to death? How would you accomplish that?
        lotsofpulp 5y ago
        I do not know how, hence needing a government to enforce rules.
        actually_a_dog 5y ago
        How would you accomplish it using government as a tool? It's clear that most (all?) current governments are wholly inadequate to this task. What are the right rules, and how can government help the situation? What does society look like when you implement those rules and enforcement mechanisms?

jokethrowaway 5y ago

You should read Atlas Shrugged

tsimionescu 5y ago
Yes, it's a very funny book once you get past the droning sentences and start seeing the core absurdity of its ideas. The gushing praise it lavishes on the rich has to be read to be believed. As the old joke goes, there are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.